BSA Principal and Former CEO Kevin Token’s Expert Spotlights

Kevin Token, BSA Principal, Former CEO, and Expert, shares insights into planning large projects.

With his diverse portfolio and 34 years of expertise, 20 of which have been with BSA, Kevin is no stranger to large projects. For over 3 decades, Kevin has shaped spaces that inspire and elevate the human experience in healthcare and education. Even more, as the former of CEO of BSA, he understands the power of collaboration and the essence of teamwork. Within both project management and BSA’s internal culture, Kevin nurtures an environment where creativity thrives. He specializes in a customized, client-centered full service approach and embodies BSA’s expectation of excellence and client satisfaction.

He’s here to share some of the most pivotal steps into planning and successfully executing large projects.

Step 1: Understanding Large Projects and Stakeholders

When faced with a large project, Kevin first strives to understand the stakeholders of that project. Large projects tend to attract a lot of people who care about the outcome, so understanding who they all are is pivotal. His experience has shown him time and time again that people are the beating heart of every project, so he asks three key questions:

1. Who has a stake?
2. What is important to them?
3. How are we all going to work together?

Step 2: How to Approach a Large Project

Perhaps equally important as understanding the people behind the project is understanding the timing behind the project. Kevin stresses that you have to understand the project’s goals behind scheduling. In many cases, the client already has an idea of when they want to open the doors and be fully operational. While the project needs to be the right solution, it also needs to be done on a timely basis to preserve costs as much as possible. Watch as Kevin describes his process to meet expectations and schedule constraints.

Step 3: Risk Management

Of course, with any large project, there are risks. Watch below as Kevin discusses how to identify, assess, and mitigate risks effectively with one key plan of action: anticipation.

Introducing New Tools for Project Management

In this video, Kevin Token discusses how rapidly evolving technology is transforming the industry. From building energy modeling and life cycle cost analysis to computational fluid dynamics and generative design, BSA carefully adopts tools that not only improve design outcomes but also shift the focus of professionals toward higher-value tasks like research, performance analysis, and client collaboration. Learn how early adopters at BSA are evaluating these innovations and why thoughtful implementation is key to client success.

Do Not Fear Innovation

Following our exploration of how AI and emerging tools are reshaping the AEC industry, this video shifts the focus to the power of people. Kevin believes that empowering teams can drive remarkable innovation.

Kevin Token shares how giving professionals the freedom to solve problems creatively (with clear goals but without rigid instruction) leads to unexpected collaboration, risk-taking, and faster, better solutions.

Discover how trust and flexibility can be just as transformative as technology in building what’s next.

These video insights are more than just thoughts on processes, tools, or teamwork. They are a formula to ensure success based upon the leadership philosophy of Kevin Token. Throughout his tenure as CEO, Kevin didn’t just guide projects; he led transformation. From shifting BSA to an ESOP and expanding into new markets, to championing cultural change and strengthening internal structure, his tenure could be considered his biggest project of all.